Clovis leads the way among Fresno County cities recovering from the economic devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest figures released by the state Economic Development Department show Clovis with a 5.6% unemployment rate for November. Among a labor force of 53,700 people, 3,000 were unemployed in Clovis, according to...
New COVID Protocol Means Valley Ambulances Might Not Take You to Emergency Room
"We are in a very grim, challenging time when it comes to the pandemic," Fresno County Interim Health Officer Dr. Rais Vohra said in a Friday afternoon briefing with reporters. Emphasizing the point, Fresno, Kings, Madera and Tulare counties will begin sending paramedics with ambulances on Friday to determine whether...
Overflow Patient Site in South Valley Will Open as Local COVID Hospitalizations Surge
In one week Fresno County's COVID-19 positivity rate went from 6.4% up to 11.3%. The San Joaquin Valley region, as defined by Gov. Gavin Newsom, only has 5.6% of its ICU beds available. That's the lowest of any region in the state. As of Sunday, Fresno County had just 7...
The Winner and Still Ag Champ, Fresno County! Guess What Crop is Tops.
For the second year in a row, farmers in Fresno County can say they have the most valuable commodities in the state. Fresno County Agricultural Commissioner Melissa Cregan presented the numbers to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The county grew $7.7 billion worth of crops in 2019, though that...
High Wind and Blowing Dust Expected Valley-Wide Tuesday. Rain Expected Overnight.
The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District issued a health caution statement for Tuesday due to high winds and expected blowing dust in some areas. Elevated concentrations of particulate matter 10 microns and smaller (PM10) Valley-wide could occur. Residents in the counties of Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and the...
County COVID Numbers Heading in Wrong Direction in Latest Report
California's 'Blueprint for Reopening' COVID-19 numbers dropped Tuesday on morning. Unfortunately Fresno County's virus numbers didn't drop, they went up. The county remains in the 'red' tier for reopening for the time being. This means restaurants, churches and other businesses can continue to offer limited indoor services. Fresno County currently has...
Fresno Antiviolence Operation Nets 2 Federal Indictments for Gun Offenses
A joint local and federal law enforcement antiviolence effort in Fresno resulted in grand jury indictments Thursday against two local men on gun-related charges, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced in a press release. Lane Kelly Whittenberg, 32, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and...
District Attorney Says Voters Allowing Bad Behavior to Continue with Prop. 20 Loss
California's Proposition 20 on Tuesday's ballot aimed to roll back criminal justice reforms state voters approved in 2014 that reclassified some theft and drug possession offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. Under Prop. 20, prosecutors would have flexibility to charge certain property crimes of more than $250, such as “serial shoplifting” and car...
At Sierra Vista Mall, Some Literal Last Minute Voters
California law allows anyone in line when polls close at 8 p.m. to vote. That wasn't a problem last night at the polling location inside the Sierra Vista Mall in Clovis. The mall was one of 53 voting center sites throughout the county that offered in-person voting since Saturday. Although...
Lines Spotted at Fresno Voting Center, But Moving Quickly
Before polls opened in Fresno County today, more than 236,000 returned ballots. That is about 46% of the nearly 500,000 registered voters in the county. From now until 8 p.m., the remaining voters can vote in person at 53 voting centers or drop completed ballots there or 64 drop boxes....